


Five ways Keller lost McKay to Sheppard

by smilebackwards



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: 5 Things, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-13
Updated: 2011-09-13
Packaged: 2017-11-04 02:47:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/388835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smilebackwards/pseuds/smilebackwards
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>It's not a competition,</i> Jennifer tells herself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five ways Keller lost McKay to Sheppard

**Author's Note:**

> Written for prompt [131.2](http://sg1-five-things.livejournal.com/296464.html) at [](http://sg1-five-things.livejournal.com/profile)[**sg1_five_things**](http://sg1-five-things.livejournal.com/)

i.

When Rodney and the rest of the team get back from a mission to PX3-446, Jennifer is waiting in the gateroom with the on-call medics.

Sheppard radioed in a medical assistance code with his IDC and Jennifer has needle and thread, gauze and antiseptic, at the ready. When they come through the gate, Teyla is hopping on one leg, supported on either side by Ronon and Sheppard. They settle her on the waiting stretcher and Jennifer cuts off Teyla's pant leg to have a proper look.

"I saved your life again," Sheppard says to Rodney, smugly teasing, propping his P-90 against his shoulder.

Rodney scoffs. "Please, I've saved your life with science five times as often as you've saved me with that hunk of metal," he says, but his eyes shine with contradictory gratitude, trust, affection.

 _It's not a competition,_ Jennifer tells herself, wrapping a bandage around Teyla's leg, but she can't get rid of that feeling of loss.

 

ii.

Jennifer never thought she'd be one of those girls who got a flag and an apology, a pine box instead of a warm body.

When Sheppard comes into the infirmary--the copper smell of blood all over him, bright red on his hands, his jacket, a smudge on his cheek--she thinks he's the one who's hurt. The gateroom alarms are blaring in the distance as she sits him down, shines her penlight in his eyes.

"Jennifer," Sheppard says, his voice a hoarse whisper, as he takes her hand. "Rodney." The drying blood on his hands transfers to hers.

Jennifer takes a step back. "No," she says, and runs for the gateroom.

 

iii.

Jennifer is going to marry Rodney McKay in two days.

She's not going to see him until he's waiting in front of the glowing Ancient steps of the gateroom, wiping his palms on his tuxedo and asking Sheppard for the seventh time, "Do you have the rings? You have the rings, right?" while Sheppard pats himself down theatrically, gently mocking.

Sheppard, Ronon and Zelenka are taking Rodney to a planet called Amallia which Jennifer is given to understand is basically the Pegasus equivalent of Vegas.

"Don't worry," Sheppard says, smiling his lopsided grin as Rodney kisses her goodbye and promises there will be no strippers. "We'll have him back in time for the wedding."

 

iv.

"Rodney?" Sheppard's voice comes over their headsets, crackling and cutting out. "Could I... some help... jumper bay?"

"I've got to...," Rodney says, half-way out of his shirt and wriggling back into it.

"Go," Jennifer says.

 

v.

Jennifer likes San Francisco. She thinks it's somewhere she could live, could put down roots. Her father will still lament the distance between them, but California is infinitely closer than Pegasus.

The thing is, Rodney likes Atlantis. He's already put down roots--in the gateroom, the physics labs, the West Pier where he sneaks off to split six packs of beer with Colonel Sheppard.

Jennifer only wanted a short breath of adventure before settling down, safe and steady. Rodney wants a whole lifetime of near misses and brilliant saves.

"Take care of him," Jennifer says to Sheppard, somewhere between asking and telling. Sheppard's lips quirk up and Jennifer feels suddenly redundant. Sheppard has been taking care of Rodney since before she ever met either of them, one step ahead, gun at the ready.

"Sure thing, doc," Sheppard say, putting a hand on her shoulder.

 


End file.
